Cashew fruit recipes
The cashew fruit, or cashew apple, is actually the swollen fruit stalk of the cashew nut. Technically, it’s the nut that’s the fruit. This cashew ‘fruit’ (the stalk) is pear-shaped, between 5-11cm/2-4in long and its fragile skin turns red or yellow as both it and the nut ripen. Once ripe, cashew ‘fruit’ is sweet and juicy. Red cashew ‘fruit’ have a very high tannin content.
Buyer's guide
Cashew fruit are too fragile for export from the tropics where they grow.
Storage
Fresh cashew ‘fruit’ has a very short shelf-life so is used as soon as it has fallen from the tree.
Preparation
In some parts of the world, cashew ‘fruit’ are turned into various alcoholic drinks. In Brazil the juice is served fresh; elsewhere, the fruits are pressure-steamed before being candied or turned into jams and chutneys.
